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Journals / Electronic Letters on Science and Engineering / 2025 / Volume: 21 Issue: 2

Rodentia: A Microcontroller-Based Torrent Client for Low-Power and Portable File Sharing

Rodentia: Düşük Güç Tüketimli ve Taşınabilir Dosya Paylaşımı için Mikrodenetleyici Tabanlı Torrent İstemcisi

Beyhan Karadağ(TUBITAK BILGEM)0009-0008-5337-7764
Fidan Kaya Gülağız(KOCAELI UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF ENGINEERING)0000-0003-3519-9278
Pages
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Publication Date
2025-12-16
DOI
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Experimental results show that the developed client works well on both x86 architecture and ESP32 based microcontroller.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Today, BitTorrent clients are widely used for file-sharing but are heavily dependent on modern operating systems.
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Key Findings & Data:Their need for always-on computers increases energy consumption and imposes significant limitations in terms of portability.
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Conclusion & Impact:Experimental results show that the developed client works well on both x86 architecture and ESP32 based microcontroller.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Power Consumption · Microcontroller · RTOS

Abstract

Today, BitTorrent clients are widely used for file-sharing but are heavily dependent on modern operating systems. Their need for always-on computers increases energy consumption and imposes significant limitations in terms of portability. In addition, it is difficult to locate computers for downloading and sending only, which negatively affects the user experience. As a solution to these problems, a microcontroller-based and real-time operating system (RTOS) compatible torrent client was designed in this study. The small size, low power consumption and portability of the microcontrollers make it possible for the system to run 24/7 and to be environmentally independent. A custom Bencode Parser was developed for parsing torrent files, the SHA-1 algorithm was rewritten to ensure data integrity, and a torrent control block (TCB) structure was created to manage the client. We also successfully implemented peer list retrieval over User Datagram Protocol (UDP) tracers, Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)-based handshake, bitfield analysis and track request mechanisms. Experimental results show that the developed client works well on both x86 architecture and ESP32 based microcontroller. The parser was able to process torrent files of different sizes without memory leaks, the SHA-1 algorithm was reliably verified, and data transfer between peers was successful. By presenting a low-power and portable torrent client, the paper proposes a flexible and feasible solution for developers interested in similar problems.

Özet

Günümüzde BitTorrent istemcileri, dosya paylaşımında yaygın olarak kullanılmakta ancak büyük ölçüde modern işletim sistemlerine bağımlı çalışmaktadır. Bu istemcilerin sürekli açık bilgisayarlara ihtiyaç duyması, enerji tüketimini artırmakta ve taşınabilirlik açısından önemli sınırlılıklar getirmektedir. Ayrıca yalnızca indirme ve gönderme amacıyla bilgisayarların konumlandırılması zor olmakta, bu da kullanıcı deneyimini olumsuz etkilemektedir. Çalışma kapsamında bu sorunlara çözüm olarak, mikrodenetleyici tabanlı ve gerçek zamanlı işletim sistemi (RTOS) uyumlu bir torrent istemcisi tasarlanmıştır. Mikrodenetleyicilerin küçük boyutu, düşük güç tüketimi ve taşınabilirliği sayesinde, sistemin 7/24 çalışabilmesi ve ortamdan bağımsız kullanılabilmesi mümkün hale gelmiştir. Çalışmada, torrent dosyalarının ayrıştırılması için özel bir Bencode ayrıştırıcısı geliştirilmiş, veri bütünlüğünün sağlanması amacıyla SHA-1 algoritması yeniden yazılmış ve istemcinin yönetimi için torrent kontrol bloğu (TCB) yapısı oluşturulmuştur. Ayrıca User Datagram Protocol (UDP) izleyiciler üzerinden eş listesi alınması, Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) tabanlı el sıkışma, bitfield analizi ve parça talep mekanizmaları başarıyla uygulanmıştır. Deneysel sonuçlar, geliştirilen istemcinin hem x86 mimarisi hem de ESP32 tabanlı mikrodenetleyici üzerinde sorunsuz şekilde çalıştığını göstermektedir. Ayrıştırıcı, farklı boyutlardaki torrent dosyalarını bellek sızıntısı olmadan işleyebilmiş; SHA-1 algoritması güvenilir biçimde doğrulama yapmış ve eşler üzerinden veri aktarımı başarıyla gerçekleşmiştir. Çalışma, düşük güç tüketimli ve taşınabilir bir torrent istemcisi sunarak benzer problemlerle ilgilenen geliştiriciler için esnek ve uygulanabilir bir çözüm önermektedir.

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Cite This Article

Karadağ, B., Gülağız, F. K. (2025). Rodentia: A Microcontroller-Based Torrent Client for Low-Power and Portable File Sharing. Electronic Letters on Science and Engineering, Volume: 21 Issue: 2. https://ajindex.com/articles/1180943

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